Mine clearing machine



March 3, 1970 A. MORO 3,498,177

MINE CLEARING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 3, 1970 A. MORO 3,498,177

NINE CLEARING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Ofifice 3,498,177 Patented Mar. 3, 1970 US. Cl. 891 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The mine clearing machine substantially consists of a gas generator (for example rocket or turbojet engine), throwing through a barrel its gas stream into a head assembly, having proper devices in order to produce, by controls, on the ground, with the said gas stream, a curtain of pressure of a certain breadth, capable to blow up the mines and thus to open, advancing, a corresponding passage in the mine field. This gas generator, with its barrel and the said head assembly, is supported by a pair of free-tracks, as all the movements and the maneuvers of this machine are effected in virtue of the thrust of the same gas stream, suitably shared, regulated and directed by the above said devices and controls.

Background of the invention The traditional procedure still used for opening passages through the mine fields by means of explosive tubes or networks, placed and blown up by squads of specialist pioneers, requires the preliminary reconnaissance of the mine fields, massive fire actions, in order to dissociate these mine fields from the defense, the various preparatory and executive operations of the opening of passages with unavoidable very critical halts of the units until these said operations have been fully accomplished and requires at last also a very large direct and indirect employment of men. On the contrary this mine clearing machine does not require all that, owing to its following technical-operative characteristicsby advancing, it automatically finds the mined ground-its action hardly can be blocked by the defense fire, thanks to its extreme mobility, to its acrobatic capability of maneuver, to its very reduced target, to the strength and to'the same fleeting shape of its structure, besides to the possibility to hide itself, eventually inside a smoke-screen of its own; it can open the above said passages immediately, by surprise, and therefore without necessity to impose any halt upon the units; at last, it requires, for carrying into effect all its operations only a pilot-pioneer, who in some cases can drive it at a distance by means of a remote drive device, or simply by means of an automatic programmed drive, so that the little target of the machine is more and more reduced.

For many years attempts have been made to find a system more practical, quicker, more efficient and above all less onerous for men and material losses than the traditional above mentioned one for opening passages through the mine fields. The most generally known endeavours include devices for the mechanical striking of the ground mounted on the forepart of the tanks, the hammering of the ground by means of predisposed artillery fire, the throwing or self-throwing of flexible explosive tubes to be transported rolled up: but all such experiments have revealed such inconveniences of various kinds, that up to this day, as above said, it is preferable to use the traditional procedure for opening passages by means of explosive tubes or networks.

The present mine clearing machine, profiting by an advanced technology, that was neither conceivable nor feasible in a relatively recent past, presents a radically new solution of this old worrisome problem, the importance of which is so wide, that is can even condition the capability of surviving of the units, if we consider an operative atomic situation, in which the inhibition of the mobility becomes synonymous of destruction.

Summary of the invention The present mine clearing machine essentially consists of the following parts: engine preferably rocket engine with its big nozzle of gas outlet turned towards the forepart of the machine; pair of tracks having free movement, which support nearly the whole Weight of the machine; barrel, that from the said big nozzle of the engine carries the gas to the head of the machine; head of the machine with its elastic sliding block that keeps the said head at regular height above the ground and with its lateral symmetrical bodies, said head and said lateral bodies, that emit an assembly of jets of combustion gas, in a proper manner reciprocally balanced, that produce by means of a self-acting device and by means of preferably hydraulic drives the following effects:

(a) by jets of the head, a constant pressure on the ground space lying below the same head, for the automatic research of the mine fields;

(b) by jets of the above said lateral bodies, by control, the standing still position, the forward movement and the reverse movement of the machine, besides the possibility to blow up the mines in the corresponding space of the ground lying below the said bodies;

(c) by jets of the head, its automatic attitude relative to the regular height over the ground when the said head is vertically moved by the burst of the mines and the possibility to hoist and to lower the same head over the ground, in order to overcome it if it is broken or in order to permit whatever change of direction;

(d) by other jets of the head, its automatic attitude relative to its direction when the said head is laterally moved by the burst of the mines and the possibility of moving it to the right or to the left (with the simultaneous hoisting mentioned at the point 0), in order to obtain the above said whatever change of direction.

Such a mine clearing machine can be of heavy-type, for opening passages through the mine fields for wheellaying vehicles or track-laying vehicles of heavy-type; they can be of middle-type, to which belongs the mine clearing machine represented in the first figures of the enclosed drawings, for opening passages through the mine fields for wheel-laying vehicles or track-laying vehicles of middle-type; they can be of light-type, for opening passages through the same mine fields for men on foot, having very reduced dimensions.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is the preferred form of mine clearing machine in side view;

FIG. 2 is the same in plan view;

FIG. 3 is the same in front view;

FIG. 4 is the sectional view of its head on the plane indicated by the path DD of FIG. 5; 7

FIG. 5 is the sectional view of the head on the plane indicated by the path BB of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is the sectional view of the head on the plane indicated by the path CC of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is the sectional view of the engine, preferably rocket engine, on the plane indicated by the path F-F of FIG. 8;

.FIG. 8 is the under view of the engine, preferably rocket engine, and of its connection device with the tracks;

FIG. 9 is the sectional longitudinal and transverse view of the device by means which are realized the effects mentioned at the preceding points c, d;

FIG. 10 is the sectional view indicated by the path E-E of FIG. of the devi-ce of means of which are realized the effects mentioned at the preceding point 12;

FIG. 11 is the schematic synthesis of all various effects of the jets indicated at the points a, b, c, d;

FIG. 12 is the corresponding schematic synthesis of the controls by which the pilot-pioneer must operate, directly or by means of a device of remote control, in order to obtain the above said effects.

Detailed description In FIGS. 1-2-3 are shown the engine (preferably rocket engine) 1, the barrel 2, the head 3, the pair of tracks 4 and the elastic sliding block P, with its thickening and hole 22 for the coupling and the towing of the machine. The tracks 4 are joined to the engine 1 by means of the wishbones 5 and of the immovable bars 6-7 and corresponding springs with shock absorbers 8-9. The elastic sliding block P is assembled on the pivot 10, which compresses a spring contained in an internal cylinder indicated by dotted line in FIGS. 1-2.

As nearly the whole weight of the machine elastically lies on the tracks and due to the same shape of the said tracks, in virtue of the effect mentioned at the point c, the axis A of the barrel and the elastic sliding block P can be hoisted to the respective positions indicated by dotted lines A and P in FIG. 1.

In FIGS. l-2.-3 are shown also the two upper short cone-shaped jet carriers 11 and the two lower long coneshaped jet carriers 12, on which are respectively the sets of upward nozzles 13 and the sets of downward nozzles 14 (FIG. 2, in which the said nozzles 14 are indicated by dotted lines because these ones are not visible). As these cone-shaped jet carriers are coaxially assembled on two cylinders reciprocally counterrotating by control by means of gears as well shall farther better see; in accordance with the fact that the jets of the sets of jets 13 and 14 are on the same vertical plane, or these sets of jets are symmetrically backward tilted, or the same sets of jets are symmetrically backward tilted, or the same sets of jets are symmetrically forward tilted, the machine respectively halts, or effects the forward movement, or effects the reverse movement, with the possibility of simultaneous action of mine clearing (effects mentioned at the point b).

In FIG. 2, on the head 3, are shown the upwards gas outflowing 4 nozzles 15, to which coaxially correspond other lower 4 nozzles 15 (not visible in FIG. 2), that are appointed to obtain the eifects mentioned at point a.

Before the said nozzles, in FIG. 2 and only by dotted line also in FIGS. 1-3, are shown the 2 upper nozzles 16 upward gas outfiowing, to which coaxially correspond the 2 lower nozzles 16 downwards gas outflowing (the holes of these ones are not visible in the figures), by means of the action of which are obtained the effects mentioned at the point e.

In the forepart of the head, in FIGS. 1-3 and only by dotted line in FIG. 2, are shown the 2 coaxial nozzles 17 with lateral jets in opposite directions, by means of which are obtained the eifects mentioned at the point d.

Again with reference to FIGS. 1-2-3, we can see assembled on the back of the engine 1 the cab 18 for the pilot-pioneer and for the controls, the action of which is transmitted to the head by means of a sheaf of preferable hydraulic ducts contained in the sheath 19. On the back of the cab 18 is the hatch S, that can be opened backwards into the position S indicated by dotted line (FIGS. 1-2).

The pilot pioneer is supported by a sort of floor-seat panel, that can be easily removed when the hatch is open in the position S. After removal of the said floor-seat panel 20, the outer hemispheric backward part 21 of the engine, by rotating on its hinge pin, can be opened downward, for the purpose that we shall further see. Also the cab 18 must be quickly and easily removable, so that at its place it is convenient to apply a remote drive device, preferably by wire, or simply a device of automatic programmed drive.

It is of essential importance to notice, in FIG. 3, how reduced appears the frontal target and how it appears adherent to the ground in the case in which, for the mine clearing machines of heavy-type and of middle-type, it is convenient to eliminate the cab 18; case to be considered for the mine clearing machines of light-type as a rule, particularly profitable in those more unexpected, more close-in and more dangerous actions, in which these mine clearing machines of light-type can be preferably employed.

FIGS. 4-5-6 on the whole show the fixed connection by screw of the barrel 2 with the head 3, the assembly of the cone shaped jet carriers 11-12 with the respective supporting cylinders 24-25, the holes 28 for the passage of the burnt gas in the inside of the same cylinders and from these into the respective cone shaped jet carriers, how these cylinders rotate in the proper housings of the head with a counterrotating movement due to the gear wheels 26-27 and how this movement is operated by the blades 30 rotating in the respective drums 31, by means of a preferably hydraulic control that will be further particularly explained.

FIGS. 4-6 show how the pivot 10 that supports the elastic sliding block P is assembled under a piston 23 housed with its upper spring in appropriate cylinder, to the purpose to deaden the blows of the block P when it is sliding on the ground.

In FIGS. 4-6 are shown also the coaxial nozzles 17 with lateral jets in opposite directions and the relative upper device 29 of automatic governing and governing by control of the same jets (device 29, indicated by dotted line, will be further particularly explained), same jets by means of which are obtained the effects mentioned at the point d. In FIGS. 4-5 are the upward nozzles 15 and the corresponding downward nozzles 15, by means of which is obtained the efiect mentioned at the point a. In FIG. 5 are shown the upper cone shaped jet carriers 11 with the nozzles 13 and the lower cone shaped jet carriers 12 with the nozzles .14, by means of which, thanks to the above said counter-rotating movement by control, are operated the effects mentioned at the points b. In FIG. 6 are shown the nozzles 16 with upward jets, to which coaxially correspond other lower nozzles 16 with downward jets (not visible in figure), with relative device 29 of automatic governing and governing by control of the same jets (device identical to the said other one 29 of the nozzles 17, that will be further explained, by means of which are operated the effects mentioned at the point 0.

In FIG. '7 we see the engine 1, fore-joined to the barrel 2, engine that essentially is composed of two parts: the external envelope with its hollow space of heat insulation and the reactor 32 containing the charge of exemplified solid propellant, the igniter and the electric resistance for the combustion starting with or without help of detonator. Said external envelope has the hemispheric back 21 that can be rotated downward on the pivot 33, by removing the securing screw (or some securing screws) 34. This rotation permits the reactor 32 to be taken away from the said external envelope to replace it when exhausted, or when it is necessary to have another reactor of different autonomy and/or power. In FIG. 7 We see also the projecting part 35 in which is housed the pivot 36, on which are keyed the terminal fore sleeves 37 (indicated by dotted line) of the wishbones 5, that join the engine 1 to the tracks 4, as already seen in FIGS. 1-2.

FIG. 8 shows the engine preferably rocket engine 1 in its under view, to put in evidence the articulated assembly consisting of the projecting part 35, of the pivot 36, of the terminal fore sleeves 37, of the wishbones 5, of the terminal back pivots 38 indicated by dotted line, of the bearings 39 in which these pivots are housed,

bearings 39 that are fastened on tracks 4, in a more complete view already shown in FIG. 2.

In the same FIG. 8 we see the immovable bars 6-7, at the ends of which are assembled the springs with shock absorbers, that support-as already said-nearly the whole weight of the machine (see also FIGS. 1-2).

FIG. 9 shows, in longitudinal section on the plane of symmetry and in cross section on the plane indicated by the path GG of the same figure, the device 29, indicated by dotted line in FIGS. 4-6. It operates as follows:

The combustion gas of the engine enters through the holes 43-44 in the directions indicated by the arrows 40-41 and the streams of the said gas remain blocked by the oscillating body 49, that plugs the holes 47-48, because held in central position by the springs 50-51. But the hydraulic streams let in by control from the ducts 52-53 can move the said oscillating body 49 either towards one side or towards the opposite side, opening in such a manner either the hole 47 or the hole 48 and giving to the combustion gas the possibility to run either in the direction indicated by the arrow 40 or in the other one indicated by the arrow 41 and so producing the corresponding jet through either of nozzles 16 (if the device is applied for obtaining the effects mentioned at the point c), or through either of nozzles 17 (if the device is applied for obtaining the effects mentioned at the point d).

When the head of the machine is moved by the burst of the mines, the above said oscillating body 49 held in central position by the springs 50-51, owing to the force of inertia, executes proportionate displacements in opposite direction and effects the opening (or variations of opening if it simultaneously operates with the above said hydraulic streams by control 52-53) of the corresponding hole from which is derived the power (or variation of power) to operate the jet that must give again to the head its regular position.

FIG. shows one of the devices (preferably two for safety), that controls the counterrotation of the cylinders 24-25 and therefore of the respective cone shaped bodies 11-12 indicated in FIG. 5, which we have already described, making clear that according to the fact the 'jets emitted by the said cone shaped bodies are on the same vertical plane, or backward tilted, or forward tilted, we have respectively the halt position, or the forward movement, or the reverse movement of the mine clearing machine. In FIG. 10 the arrow 54 indicates the fore part of the machine.

The device shown in this figure comprehends the blade 30, welded on the upper cylinder 24; its container drum 31 with relative little brackets 57-58 that limit the movement of the said blade 30; the plate 59 having two holes that closes below the said drum 3'1 and by means of a projection in hermetic contact with the cylinder 24 divides the same drum 31 in two zones, into which enter the hydraulic streams by control 63-64 through the ducts 61-62, fastened to the said plate in correspondence of the two above said holes with screws 60.

Accordingly as the said hydraulic streams by control push the blade 30 in vertical position, or tilted in direction of the arrow 55, or in direction of the arrow 56, there are respectively obtained the already indicated effects of the halt position, or of the forward movement, or of the reverse movement of the machine.

As the jets of the cone shaped jet carriers 12 normally must also operate a simultaneous pressure on the ground (when it is mined) suflicient to blow up the mines, it may perhaps appear undesirable to approach the limits of movement of the blade 30 secured by the little brackets 57-58; but, in reality, if the mine clearing machine, before it enters into the mined ground that is normally never excessively broken or too sloping, meets remarkable difiiculties, in order to have the possibility to overcome them, it is very advantageous that the said mine clearing machine have available its whole forwards or backwards thrust power, according to whether it climbs a hill, or whether it descends a slope with unexpected obstacles or very steep slopes of the ground.

FIG. 11, thanks to the conventional spherical shape with which is represented in respective the head of the machine with the relative cone shaped bodies 11-12 and the barrel 2, gives the possibility to have a schematic complete view of all the different jets and corresponding nozzles, by means of which the mine clearing machine operates:

(a) with regard to the effects mentioned at the point a (see also FIGS. 2-4-5), the two sets of vertical balanced constant jets 15-15", corresponding to the known sets of downward and upward nozzles 15;

(b) with regard to the effects mentioned at the point b (see also FIGS. 2-5), the two sets of upward jets that can be tilted by control from the vertical position 13' to the limit positions 13"-13 (corresponding to the known sets of nozzles 13) and the two sets of downward jets that can be alike and symmetrically tilted by control from the vertical position 14' to the limit positions 14"-14"' (corresponding to the known sets of nozzles 14);

(c) with regard to the effects mentioned at the point 0 (see also FIGS. 1-2-3-6), the two sets of vertical balanced jets 16'-16", corresponding to the known sets of downward and upward nozzles 16;

(d) with regard to the effects mentioned at the point d (see also FIGS. 1-2-3-4-6), the pair of horizontal balanced jets 17'-17", corresponding to the known pair of nozzles 17.

FIG. 12 shows the schematic complete view of the controls on which depend all the jets completely represented in FIG. 11, keeping in mind that the arrow 54 indicated also in this figure the forepart of the machine.

When the lever L is in vertical position, the vertical jets are operating in the position 13 and 14' and therefore the mine cleaning machine is not going; as soon as the said lever is pushed forward, there is obtained a progressive symmetrical backward tilt of the said jets to the limit-tilts 13"-14" and the machine takes advantage of a forward push of progressive power up to the maximum permitted power; likewise when the lever L is pushed backward, to obtain the maximum permitted power of back push, corresponding to the limit-tilts 13'- 14. When the demining effect is simultaneously wanted also, it is sufficient not to surpass the tilt of the jets, corresponding to the least necessary pressure for blowing up the mines (vertical component force of the same jets).

When the lever L" is in vertical position, it is not operating; as soon as the said lever is pushed backward, it produces the jets 16' and the head effects the hoisting; as soon as the same lever is pushed forward, it produces the jets 16" (to the action of which is added the gravity) and the head effects a lowering, so that the sliding block P lies again on the ground; when the lever is pushed to the right, it produces the jet 17' and the head effects its movement to the right; when the same lever is pushed to the left; it produces the jet 17" and the head effects its movement to the left. By longitudinal and transverse combined movements of the lever L" are obtained the corresponding combined movements of the head.

What I claim is:

1. A mine clearing machine having a pair of longitudinally extending tracks supporting a gas generator, an elongated barrel which is connected to receive the gas from the generator and which extends forward from the generator, and a head assembly which is connected to the front end of the barrel to receive gas therefrom, and which extends transversely of the barrel, the head assembly being provided with controllable nozzles for discharging jets of the gas, whereby the head assembly may be controlled by the jets as a free body, to maintain mine-exploding gas pressure on the ground below the head assembly, to exert force through the barrel for moving the machine on the tracks, and to steer the machine.

2. A mine clearing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a resiliently mounted sliding member contacts the ground in an area spaced behind the area in which mine-exploding gas pressure is applied by the head assembly and supports the head assembly at a substantially fixed height above the ground in order to maintain substantially constant gas pressure on the ground.

3. A mine clearing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gas generator is resiliently supported upon the tracks and is pivotally connected to two links each of which is pivotally connected to one of the tracks.

4. A mine clearing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pair of superimposed hollow rotatable elongated gas-discharging cones extend laterally at each side of the head assembly, the two upper cones being geared to the two lower cones so that the upper cones rotate counter to the lower cones, the upper cones having gasdischarging apertures which are normally directed upward, and the lower cones having gas discharging apertures which are normally directed downward.

5. A mine clearing machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the central portion of the head assembly, between the laterally eXtending cones, has gas-discharging apertures in its upper surface and in its lower surface.

6. A mine clearing machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein the head assembly contains hydraulically operated mechanism for rotating the upper cones and counterrotating the lower cones, whereby the jets discharged from the cones may be inclined either forward or backward from the vertical in order to propel the machine.

7. A mine clearing machine as claimed in claim 6,

wherein the head assembly is provided with nozzles arranged in two pairs, the nozzles of each pair being arranged to discharge gas in two directions which are opposite to one another and at right angles to the directions in which gas in discharged by the other pair, each pair being supplied with gas through a common valve comprising a valve body which is resiliently urged toward a neutral position, and the orientation of each valve body being such that upon sudden movement of the head assembly caused by explosion of a mine, the inertia of the valve body retains it in position to increase the flow of gas to the nozzle that discharges gas in the direction of the sudden movement.

8. A mine clearing machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the head assembly contains hydraulically operated means for displacing each of the two valve bodies from its neutral position, a four-way control lever is provided to control the hydraulically operated means for selectively displacing each of the two valve bodies, and a two-way control lever is provided to control the hydraulically operated mechanism for rotating the cones.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,489,564 11/1949 Du Toit 891 3,112,669 12/1963 Damblanc 891 SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 7 

